1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of delivery systems, and in particular, to fund transfers using postage indicia for a delivery service.
2. Statement of the Problem
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is one of many delivery services that a person can choose from to deliver a package. The USPS charges a fee for delivering packages. The fee is paid in the form of postage and the USPS typically requires that a package include postage before delivering the package. The amount of the postage depends on the weight and size of the package. The amount of the postage also depends on the type of service used to deliver the package, such as next day delivery, first class mail, certified, etc. The postage indicates the amount of money that has been paid for the package to be delivered.
One example of postage is postage stamps. Another example of postage is metered postage that is printed by a postage meter device. A postage meter device interfaces with a postage meter belonging to the USPS. A customer applies for a postage meter with the USPS. If approved, the USPS leases the postage meter to the customer. The customer pre-pays for postage on the postage meter. For example, the customer would pre-pay for $250 worth of postage that is programmed onto the postage meter. The customer then buys or leases a postage meter device, which is not supplied by the USPS. Some examples of companies that manufacture postage meter devices are Pitney-Bowes and NeoPost. The customer interfaces the postage meter with the postage meter device to print the metered postage. Each time the postage meter device prints the metered postage, the postage meter decrements against the pre-paid amount.
To send a package, the sender affixes postage onto the package and gives the package to the USPS. The USPS sorts the package so that it is delivered to the proper location. The USPS also cancels the postage. Canceling the postage usually involves stamping the postage with a postmark. Postmarks generally show the date and the name, state, and ZIP code of the post office handling the package. The postmark indicates to the USPS that the postage cannot be used again. The USPS then delivers the package to the destination address.
Other delivery services operate in a similar manner as described above. Examples of other delivery services are the United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (FedEx).
An entity can transfer funds to another entity in a variety of ways. An entity can use cash, a check, and a credit card to transfer funds to another entity. An entity can transfer funds from its bank account to a bank account of another entity. An entity can use a commercial wire-transfer company to transfer funds to another entity, such as Western Union. Another common way to transfer funds is through the use of a postal money order.
Unfortunately, postage for the USPS and other delivery services has rarely been used to transfer funds. Occasionally small items are paid for with postage, particularly when the cost is low and the purchase is conducted through the mail. In these circumstances, the postage used as currency is inside the package, and is not cancelled by the USPS. Thereafter, the uncancelled postage is usable on later unrelated packages. As for the postage on the outside of the package, the USPS cancels the entire value of the postage, even if the value of the postage is more than the cost for that delivery. The postage has no value once the postage has been cancelled. Postage is typically intended for and calculated for a single mailing event. An entity cannot redeem additional value of the postage above the cost of delivery, because that postage has been cancelled as compensation for that particular mailing event.